Sid Patterson
Encyclopedia
Sid Patterson was a world champion amateur and professional track cyclist
from Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
. While a teenager, Patterson won every Victorian and Australian title between 1,000 metres and ten miles (16.1 km). He represented Australia in cycling at the 1948 Summer Olympics
in London
.
In 1949 he won every Australian track championship in the sprint
, time trial
, 1 mile, and 5 mile (8.05 km) events. Later that year he won the world amateur sprint championship in Copenhagen
, and in 1950, the world amateur pursuit championship in Liege. At the 1950 British Empire Games
he won silver medal
s for the 1000m sprint and 1000m time trial.
In 1951 he won the Manchester Wheelers' Club
Muratti Cup beating the British Sprint Champion, Alan Bannister by almost a length. However Patterson was alleged to have held Bannister during the final sprint for the line and was subsequently disqualified and the race was awarded to Bannister.
In 1951 Patterson became a professional and won the world professional pursuit championship in 1952 in Paris
, and in 1953 in Zurich
. Patterson teamed with Russell Mockridge
and Roger Arnold to win the Paris six-day race in 1955. By his final year of racing in 1967 he had 12 consecutive Australian championships.
Sid Patterson was sponsored by Malvern Star
, founded by Sir Bruce Small
.
At 72 Patterson died of liver cancer
. The Sid Patterson Grand Prix is held in Melbourne annually in his honour. The first was won by Tommy Nankervis, who was introduced to the sport after meeting Patterson at a bike shop.
Track cycling
Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....
from Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. While a teenager, Patterson won every Victorian and Australian title between 1,000 metres and ten miles (16.1 km). He represented Australia in cycling at the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In 1949 he won every Australian track championship in the sprint
Sprint (cycling)
The sprint or match sprint is a track cycling event involving between 2 and 4 riders, though they are usually run as a one-on-one match race between opponents who, unlike in the individual pursuit, start next to each other.- Racing style :...
, time trial
Time trial
In many racing sports an athlete will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. In cycling, for example, a time trial can be a single track cycling event, or an individual or team time trial on the road, and either or both of the latter may form components of...
, 1 mile, and 5 mile (8.05 km) events. Later that year he won the world amateur sprint championship in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, and in 1950, the world amateur pursuit championship in Liege. At the 1950 British Empire Games
1950 British Empire Games
The 1950 British Empire Games was the fourth edition of what is now called the Commonwealth Games. It was held in Auckland, New Zealand between the 4th and 11th of February 1950, after a 12-year gap from the 3rd edition of the games...
he won silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
s for the 1000m sprint and 1000m time trial.
In 1951 he won the Manchester Wheelers' Club
Manchester Wheelers' Club
-Formation and early history:The club was formed on 7 July 1883, as Manchester Athletic Bicycle Club, the name being changed to Manchester Wheelers' Club in 1890.The Manchester Wheelers are the most successful cycling club in Britain having produced countless international riders and several World...
Muratti Cup beating the British Sprint Champion, Alan Bannister by almost a length. However Patterson was alleged to have held Bannister during the final sprint for the line and was subsequently disqualified and the race was awarded to Bannister.
In 1951 Patterson became a professional and won the world professional pursuit championship in 1952 in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and in 1953 in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. Patterson teamed with Russell Mockridge
Russell Mockridge
Russell Mockridge was a racing cyclist from Geelong, Victoria, Australia. He died during a race, in collision with a bus....
and Roger Arnold to win the Paris six-day race in 1955. By his final year of racing in 1967 he had 12 consecutive Australian championships.
Sid Patterson was sponsored by Malvern Star
Malvern Star
Malvern Star is a manufacturer of bicycles, located in Melbourne, Australia. It began in 1902, and went on to become a household name in Australia.-History:Malvern Star opened in a small shop at 58 Glenferrie Rd, in the Melbourne suburb of Malvern in 1902...
, founded by Sir Bruce Small
Bruce Small
Sir Andrew Bruce Small was an Australian businessman and politician. In Melbourne, he developed Malvern Star bicycles into a household name in Australia, then retired to the Gold Coast, Queensland, where he developed property, and as Mayor of the Gold Coast, promoted the area to Australia and the...
.
At 72 Patterson died of liver cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
. The Sid Patterson Grand Prix is held in Melbourne annually in his honour. The first was won by Tommy Nankervis, who was introduced to the sport after meeting Patterson at a bike shop.